Results 6,861-6,880 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As part of the Programme for Government, a Developing Areas Unit was set up recently in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas, including Swords. The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in these developing areas, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Grants-in-aid are a form of exchequer assistance to agencies or for the provision of services by agencies and are detailed in the Revised Estimates for Public Services ("the REV") published each year. This would be available in the Oireachtas Library or on the Department of Finance web-site. The Grants-in Aid appear as individual sub-heads of the Department's vote. The Department of...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department received an application for Emergency Funding for roof works from the school in question. Emergency works grants are made available to schools most in need of resources as a result of unforeseen emergencies of a capital nature that may arise during the school year. Following assessment of the application from this school and in light of the large number of projects seeking...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Emergency works grants are made available to schools most in need of resources as a result of unforeseen emergencies of a capital nature that may arise during the school year. It is incumbent on the school to provide as much detail as possible to the Department on the nature of the emergency and the need for an emergency works grant to be paid to address the emergency. All applications are...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The primary school capitation grant has been increased substantially in recent years. Since 2000 the standard rate of capitation grant has been increased from €81.26 per pupil to its current rate of €178.58. This represents an increase of almost 120% in the standard rate of capitation grant since 2000. I would like to assure the Deputy that it is a key priority for the Government to...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since the Summer Works Scheme was introduced in 2004, over 3,000 projects, costing in excess of €300 million, have been completed. With so many smaller projects having been completed over the past few years, the particular emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in developing areas, while also showing the Government's commitment to delivering improvements in the quality...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information which the Deputy requested in relation to the number of primary teachers who graduated is shown in the table. The number of vacancies in primary schools varies throughout the school year and are managed at local level by individual school Boards of Management. Under the terms of the Education Act, 1998, the Board of Management of a primary school is responsible for the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together. The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled in my Department and will be forwarded direct to him.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department, in May this year, advised Vocational Education Committees by circular letter of the coming into operation of revised pension arrangements for certain part-time staff, including members of the Vocational Teachers Superannuation Scheme. These revised arrangements, which will result in a difference in pension benefit and contribution level for part-time staff, form part of Public...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school in Co. Meath referred to by the Deputy opened in temporary accommodation on the grounds of a GAA club in September 2007. The funding given by the Department to the school authorities for the rental of this temporary accommodation was per normal Department conditions and the Department was not aware of any need for the school authorities to enter into a loan arrangement to allow the...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that following a technical examination of the two acre site in question, my officials wrote to the local developer requesting contract and title documents. A reply is awaited.

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in staffing at primary level in recent years. There are now in the region of 6,000 more primary teachers than there were in 2002. By the 2006/07 school year, we had reduced the average class size in our primary schools to 24, while the pupil teacher ratio was 16.4:1, including resource teachers etc. In that year, schools were...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (26 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department funds four maintenance grant schemes for third level and further education students. These are the Higher Education Grants Scheme, the Vocational Education Committees' Scholarships Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees and the Maintenance Grants Scheme for Students attending Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) Courses. The Higher Education Grant Scheme is...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The development of a building project for the school in question is at an early stage. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for an extension has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy and an assessment of the long term needs of the school has been concluded. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for a new school building on a new site has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for a new school building for the school referred to by the Deputy is at a very early stage of development. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme....

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for a new school building has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However,...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that an application for a new school building has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (25 Jun 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for an extension was received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The progression of this project as with all large scale building projects, from initial design stage through to construction phase, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing...